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{\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.21.2510;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\sb100\sa100\qc\f0\fs36 Werner V. Croy's Diaries\f1\fs24\par
\i\f0 By "Lara A."\i0\f1\par
(NOTE: Remember, these are excerpts from Von Croy's diaries, not Lara's.)\par
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When I hear the name Lara Croft, I always try to show that she owed me a lot. A LOT is what I mean; if I had not taught her all those extra skills and lessons, she would've never known anything about adventuring. Yet I have to admit that she did have that in herself.\line More than fifteen years ago, she showed me what a true adventurer is like; good expidition, Inteligence, maturity... She thinks that that accident occured because I did not listen to her warnings. Why on earth did she believe in such hokis pokis? I was expecting her to break in VCI, actually that was the reason that I had that high security system there. Didn't work I guess. Much more better though; at least I don't need to worry about the troubles made by the Iris. However, the building was shot down because it was a mess. All in one night; too dear.\line Our argument was much more worse the last time I saw her in a tomb while she was busy, doing her work.... \par
I, lurking in a dark spot, was studing her as she lowered down her sunglasses to look at the room more closely. She then sat down and ignoring the skulls and bones around her, swept the sands off from the tomb she was looking for. I knew she had been through a lot; she had fought with dozens of alligators, a huge snake, a few alive statues and finally a huge statue with six hands. Yet she did not even have \i a scratch \i0 on herself. Well, that was just the beggining.\line She read the name on the tomb and smiled, taking out a crowbar. She pushed one end of it in the empty space near the tomb and started working.\line "You're busted Von Croy," she said without looking at me. "Come out from that spot."\line I came out, smiling as she removed the stone from the grave.\line "Congratulations Miss Croft," I said as she feasted her eyes upon the mummy inside. "You found Ankhesamen, wife of Tutankhamen."\line "Indeed I did," she said as she looked at me, not smiling. "And I did that for myself."\line "Come on Lara," I said, bringing up my crutch. "You think this old man can get it from you?"\line "This old man in front of me survived from a disaster in Cambodia all by himself. He suffered a lot of damage in his building. He has found his way here. What else should I say?"\line She was sharp, both by tongue and brain. While I was quiet she sat down, putting something on the mummy's necklace. A light suddenly came out from it, and I covered my eyes, realizing the reason that she had sunglasses on.\line The mummy came back to life. It looked at me and Lara, and got up, then it started unwrapping itself.\line "Look away Werner," Croft warned. "She's a woman as you know yourself."\line I looked away and took a glance at Miss Croft as she took out some ancient clothes which she had probably found there and gave it to the naked woman who had appeared from under the ancient fabric.\line Ankhesamen bowed at her feet and looked at me nervously. She then looked at the tomb next to her and screeched.\line "I was afraid of that," she said as she held back Ankhesamen's hands with a lot of force. The queen howled and screamed, trying to reach the grave that of course belonged to her beloved husband, Tutakhamen. Ankhesamen slapped Lara in the face and threw herself on her husband's grave and wept with all her might. She tried to open the grave and sat next to the it, sobbing as she realized she can't open it.\line Lara sat next to her and held Ankhesamen's hand tightly. She rested her head on Miss Croft's shoulder, calming down.\line "She realized," I said as Ankhesamen and Lara got up.\line "Werner, be a dear and leave this place." She growled. "I don't need pesky annoying old men such as you in my way."\line "I thought we had discussed that earlier Miss Croft."\line "Be quiet Von Croy," she said as she held out a gun, aiming it towards me. Ankhesamen cast a curious eye on it.\line "You're going to shoot me," I said, smiling. "Can you do that?"\line "Just because I didn't shoot you last time it doesn't mean that I can't shoot you now," she said as she put her gun back in her holster. "However, I am a guest and I don't allow myself to do violence when I'm about to reach my goal."\line She then took out a necklace from her rock-sack.\line "Uhh," I said, "that back pack. Guess it brings good luck more than..."\line "I already told you once Werner," she said as she put the necklace around the queen's long neck. "I make my own luck."\line The green stone on the necklace turned brilliant red and shined for some seconds. The queen's eyes seemed to function with the jewel also, for it lost its color for a while and then her brown eyes reappeared.\line "My queen," Lara said. "Do you understand me?"\line "Indeed I do," Ankhesamen replied. "There is no reason for this necklace to don't work." She then started looking at Lara for while. "You must be the chosen one." She said.\line "No," Lara replied as she turned towards me and smiled in an unlikable way. "He is."\line She pointed towards me. I did not get to resist; the ancient human turned towards me and grabbed my hand.\line "Come," she told me as she pulled me away with herself.\line "Miss Croft!" I said, aloud. "Fix this mess!"\line "Oh but you are the chosen one," she said as she weaved good bye. "You were the one who came until here without trouble. Isn't that true? You cheated."\line "I..." I was speechless. It was true, I had used her and her killings and had reached the tomb.\line It took me a lot of time to convince the ancient human that I'm not the chosen one. A week later I got out of there, knowing that that Croft woman has escaped with the main artifact. \par
I did not leave her alone. Once my men attacked her on a deserted street, trying to get the artifact before she could reach her manor. Of course, it was not successful. She knocked down everyone on the street. \par
Then came the second disaster of the Iris; my sky scraper was raided by Croft who wanted to get back the Iris. All those guards, all those cameras, all those weapons, all the high security system, none stopped her. Well, as I said, I don't need to worry about her breaking in my building anymore, not mentioning the many troubles of the Iris. \par
She beat me in almost everything. Now that she's dead... I can't believe it. Life plays some odd games with mortals; fifteen years ago she ran away leaving me alone in Angkor Wat even though she wanted to save me, and a few days ago I tried to save her in the Temple of Horus even though I was willing to save her.\par
Both of us ran away, fearing for our lives. \par
I hope the same thing happenes, I hope that she's alive... \par
The Egyptian news are not encouraging. I spend most of my time with Jean Yves who I finally convinced to work with me. Poor fellow; I was driven half to madness by the posest of Seth, and of course he did not have much of good memories from me when I kidnapped him and used him as a trap for Lara Croft to step in. Yet if it wasn't because of miss Croft I never would've been in posest and who knows; maybe she would've been under the control of Seth instead of me and if she was... \par
I can't even think of it. \par
I don't even dare to think about it. \par
My men are digging down her final resting place to see if they can find her corpse. If found, I will send it to England as soon as possible. But I have to admit, I see the chance of her being dead only forty nine percent. Lara was a surviver; I know she's alive and maybe she's waiting for me down there, maybe she's in another part of the world, she might be back to England without letting a soul know. Maybe she's somewhere in Egypt... \par
Chances of Lara being everywhere is a lot. She might be in Iran which is near by, she might be in Turkey, she might be in Alexandria, and what's more she might be even in Brazil. She might be everywhere. I shan't be surprised to learn that she was found either in the Colorado Mountains or Alaska. \par
That reminds me about the time that Lara was in that cold freezing place, ready to hunt the big foot. Our meeting was completely a coincidence, and when I saw her she was covered in blood. I was surprised; she had been successful in killing the creature. For a moment I felt proud of myself; if I had not taught her all those extra skills she would've never even come this far. If I had not taught her anything she would've never been known as a famous person. \par
If I had not taught her all those skills she would've been alive now. \par
About that, I feel guilty. I always felt guilty. I'm sure she felt the same way herself when she left me alone in that doom in Cambodia. \par
Is her death another disaster of the Iris? As a punishment, feeling the same way as she did when I did not listen to her, when I went to pick up the Iris, when I went so far that she could not help me out. Feeling the same fright when I was trapped, trying to save her and running away. All she could do afterwards was to run for her life, and me, I just raised my hat for her sould. \par
In other words, feeling the same way when she thought I'm dead. \par
Is this life or nightmare? Was all these disaster made by the Iris? I have my doubts about that. Why do I think the Iris did this anyway? Any foolish person would've realized that. since it all started after 1986. \par
My searching still continues and hopefully one day I shall at least find a clue of her. \par
Just hoping is what I can do now. \par
As a trainer in her youth, I hope that she found her way out herself, I hope that she is alive where ever she is. \par
All that I have from her now are some memories, and the rock-sack that we both saw more than fifteen years ago. \par
- Werner V. Croy\par
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